2018 Chateau Margaux (750ml)

Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaux, Bordeaux, France

B-21 Top Recommendation
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Described as a “wonderful combination of refinement and power” by James Suckling, here’s a terrific opportunity to acquire some of the top-rated vintages of the elegant Chateau Margaux revealing rich enticing fruit with the First Growth’s signature floral aromatics and dense, silky tannins, each high scoring vintage of the Grand Vin built for decades of longevity and delivered in perfect provenance at best on the market pricing.

Boasting some of “the poorest gravel soils in the appellation” according to Bordeaux expert Jane Anson, Margaux’ 82-hectare vineyard is planted mostly to Cabernet Sauvignon with some vines over 80 years of age, producing exceptional quality fruit which undergoes rigorous selection with typically only a third or less of production making the cut for the Grand Vin. Crafted as a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend and aged for 18 to 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels made at Margaux’s onsite cooperage, the opulent 100 pt. 2009 Chateau Margaux is described as “brilliant” by Vinous critic Neal Martin ten years after its release and “only beginning to show what it can do,” while the richly concentrated 100 pt. 2010 Chateau Margaux was called “as classic and regal as Margaux gets” by Jeb Dunnuck after tasting it in 2022. From an exceptional vintage also described as “classic” by the Wine Enthusiast’s Roger Voss, the irresistible 100 pt. 2016 Chateau Margaux boasts fresh aromatic dark fruit layered with “astonishingly ripe, finely grained tannins and amazing tension” according to the Wine Independent’s Lisa Perotti-Brown in 2022 who suggests, “Sell your car and get a few cases of this – you won’t regret it.” Called “one of the standouts of the vintage” by Jeb Dunnuck, the 99 pt. 2017 Chateau Margaux is “a super promising wine” according to Antonio Galloni of Vinous, while the “dense and explosive” 100 pt. 2018 Chateau Margaux is “a dramatic wine that will thrill readers lucky enough to own it.” Described as “quite stunning” by Neal Martin of Vinous, the breathtaking 100 pt. 2019 Chateau Margaux is a candidate for wine of the vintage, “complex, elegant and utterly compelling” according to the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley and the alluring 100 pt. 2020 Chateau Margaux is described as “a Margaux for the ages” by Inside Bordeaux’s Jane Anson, revealing “remarkable purity as well as flawless balance” according to Jeb Dunnuck, who declares “I love everything about this wine.”

Elegantly expressing “the quintessence of terroir” according to the Wine Advocate, these alluring Chateau Margaux selections rank among the top Bordeaux blends of each vintage, some with over a decade of pristine aging and others requiring patient cellaring before pulling the cork, and in the words of Jeb Dunnuck, all guaranteed to “blow you away any time over the coming 40+ years.”

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The 2018 Château Margaux is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, representing 36% of the crop this year. The wine has a pH of 3.8 and 14% alcohol. Deep purple-black in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal tantalizing scents of crème de cassis, wild blueberries and Black Forest cake with hints of redcurrant jelly, rose oil, dark chocolate and cedar chest plus a touch of star anise. The medium to full-bodied palate bursts with opulent black fruit, fragrant earth and floral layers, supported by a rock-solid structure of exquisitely ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless backbone of freshness, finishing with fantastic length. This is classic Margaux at its most seductive, although it is, rather amazingly, approachable and absolutely delicious right now. But, to enjoy its full glory, you will want to cellar it for at least 6-8 years and then watch it metamorphize over the next 40+ years.

100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Adovcate (Mar 2021)

Based on 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Château Margaux is a magical, incredibly sexy expression of this Château that sports a dense purple color as well as a thrilling bouquet of blueberries, cassis, acacia flowers, scorched earth, sandalwood, and violets. Incredibly concentrated and full-bodied on the palate, it nevertheless has an almost Burgundian sense of finesse and elegance, with an ethereal texture, silky yet massive amounts of tannins, notable freshness, and brilliant length. The alcohol hit a whopping 14%, which is high by this estate's standards, but everything is flawlessly integrated, the balance is perfect, and I certainly can't find anything that could be better. This 2018 is going to be relatively drinkable at an early age (do your best to hide bottles for 7-8 years) yet last for 75+.

100 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Mar 2021)

So much ash, tobacco and earth to the bright blackberry and currant aromas. Flowers too. Fresh. Full-bodied with seamless tannins that spread across your palate and caress every square centimeter. It’s shows loads of ripe-berry, cherry, currant and chocolate character, as well as walnut and light cedar. Then the finish goes on for minutes. Extremely refined and elegant, despite the structure. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 4% merlot and 2% petit verdot. A joy to taste, but drink after 2025.

100 points, James Suckling (Feb 2022)

The 2019 Chateau Margaux is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, with the first wine representing 37% of the harvest. Deep purple-black colored, it needs considerable coaxing to release scents of plum preserves, blueberry compote, and ripe blackcurrants, leading to nuances of violets, cedar chest, pencil shavings, wood smoke, and wet slate with a waft of black truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is simply electric, with a firework display of mineral earth and black fruits and super-fine, firm, tannins, plus incredible tension, finishing with epic length and depth. "I'm surprised by the body," commented winemaker Philippe Bascaules as we tasted together. "During primeurs, the 2019 was full of charm. Now it is more concentrated, more powerful." Indeed.

100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent (Apr 2022)

The 2018 Margaux is an infant. Today, the tannins are unusually searing, but then again, the 2018 is a wine in which all the elements are dialed up to the maximum. Time in the glass releases the fruit, revealing a luxurious, opulent Château Margaux built for the cellar. Cedar, tobacco, dried flowers and mint develop with a bit of coaxing. Rich, deep and utterly beguiling, the 2018 is a dramatic wine that will thrill readers lucky enough to own it.

98+ points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Mar 2021)

This struts along with supreme confidence, as a cashmere-textured structure effortlessly carries a prodigious set of warmed cassis, plum reduction and blackberry compote flavors, pulling in alder, bergamot, black and red tea and iron notes. Still manages to come across as restrained in the end. A beautiful wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2028 through 2040. 10,833 cases made.

98 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Mar 2021)

While this wine reflects the richness and density of the vintage, it also shows all the elegance of which a great Margaux is capable. The wine is powerful and beautifully structured, both ripe and restrained. It will age magnificently. Start to think about drinking from 2028.

98 points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (May 2021)

This is extremely powerful, with high tannin levels that are beautifully velvety and a real presence that is going to need a good 15 years before it softens. There are layers and layers of subtlety here, charcoal, earth, fresh acidity - a ton of serious character that needs time to inch towards opening. Grips on like a limpet - this needs a good half an hour in the glass to even begin to open, but as it does so you see clearly the finesse and precision of the fruit construction. Exceptionally good. 3.64pH, 2% Petit Verdot completes the blend, 36% of the harvest in the first wine. Bottled mid-September.

98 points, Jane Anson, Decanter (Nov 2020)

Alcohol By Volume: 14.0%

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$749.88

Compare At: $799.88

This item is a pre-order estimated to arrive 5/31/2024. 18 bottles available.

This item is available in original wood case. Would you like to include the wood case in your order? There is an additional $12.00 shipping fee for wood cases.

Available in Original Wood Case of 6

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